Community Answer

There are several reasons why people with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis experience a decrease in appetite. One main problem is that eating is often associated with symptoms such as nausea, pain, bloating, and diarrhea. Another reason is that symptoms of nausea and diarrhea tend to make people feel less like eating. Fatigue can also be a factor — if you’re tired, you’re less likely to prepare and consume healthy meals.

I know firsthand that when I’m flaring, I tend to lose my appetite because I know that eating will only cause my symptoms to worsen–it becomes psychological. You don’t know want to inflict pain, so eating becomes the furthest thing from your mind.- Natalie, CrohnsDisease.com